


Personal Moment

by Seffrine



Series: Personal Moment [1]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, Being Lost, Episode: S2E2, Feelings, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, S1E23, s1e10, s2e1, show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2018-12-26 12:51:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12059340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seffrine/pseuds/Seffrine
Summary: So it's basically a collection of RINCH from the show.The list will keep on going, i guess, but for now are these.Plan:S1E10S1E23S2E1/E2





	1. No more

**Author's Note:**

> i believe there's many stories about what i'm going to write but still i would like to write from my own feelings.  
> WARNING: feel free to correct my grammar, i tried my best but i guess im not really good after all. Maybe i will re-write it again in my mother tongue but i have stronger feelings toward this pairing in English.  
> just... sorry about my poor English.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S1E10, Harold's POV

John isn't the first partner he has been working with, but he's been watching John for a very long time.

He could still remember the first time they met at the hospital where Jessica worked at, where John found out about Jessica's death.

John may not remember him but the sorrow on John's face when he found out about Jessica was dead, left a hole in Harold's heart.

He knew that face because he once saw it in the mirror every day after the explosion happened.

Regret, that they couldn't make it in time.

Guilt, it was their fault that they die.

Lost, the only person who connected them to the world is gone.

・・・

"I wanted to say thank you, Harold. For giving me a second chance."

"It's not over, John." This can't be over, not yet!

Through the earpiece, he could hear the heavy breaths coming from the other sides. He can't lose anyone, not anymore, and definitely not John.

Increasing the force on his right leg, the car sped up. “I'm close, just get to the ground floor."

“No, you stay away, don't even risk it.”

Once again, he could hear John biting his lips to suppress the pain. His steps were getting slower and slower.

Harold, calm down! John needs you now. Right now!

Ignoring the horn from the cars he passed, Harold sped up the car, heading to the hospital, to John.

The rest of the drive felt like forever. Both of them had stopped talking. Harold didn't know what to say. He scared that if he opened his mouth, he will start screaming John's name, or even worse, cried out loud.

The only reason Harold can still functioning now was the heavy breathing from the earpiece, the only proof that John was still alive.

Almost there, he silently told himself.

With the turn of the car, the noise of the break reverberated in the packed parking lot.

At the same time, Harold saw John opened the door. John’s white shirt stained with blood, his steps weren't stable.

Swing open the door, Harold turned his body too quickly that the pain made him almost cried but he surpassed it and headed to John as fast as his limp allowed him to.

Their eyes met in the middle of the air. Without saying anything, Harold held out his hand and support John weight, then they headed to the car.

"Hold it!"

The familiar voice stopped them altogether and they both turned around and faced Carter who was now holding a gun, aiming at them.

"You!" she said, disbelief written all over her face.

Seeing the one who sold John to the CIA, Harold couldn't help but glare at her. He couldn't lose John, he was willing to take whatever cost to stop Detective Carter from arresting John.

Before Harold could act, Detective Carter lowered her gun and continued, "Get him out of here. Come on."

She ran to them and helped Harold supporting John and moved him into the car.

After setting John in the back seat, Harold quickly ran back to the driver seat and looked back.

He saw the indecision on Detective Carter's face. They had to go now, Agent snow will be here in any minute.

Right before Harold said anything, Detective Carter opened her mouth finally and said, "Go." With that, she slammed the door closed.

Without any hesitation, Harold steps on the accelerator and left.


	2. Not anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S1E10 from John's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what I think how it went.....  
> Hope you like it...
> 
> Warning: poor English grammar, feel free to point out my mistakes
> 
> and once again, thanks for reading xo

When you find that one person who connects you to the world you become someone different, someone better.

When that person is taken from you what do you become then?

・・・

Seeing Snow standing in front of himself, John knew that his past had finally caught up with him.

John had been imagined about this day, which he will pay for what he did in the past, and he was ready for it. He has been living on borrowed times after all.

But this time, he wouldn’t allow himself to give it up without a fight unless he can make sure that no one could trace it back to Harold through him.

Harold, the man who gave him a purpose after he lost all the meaning of his life, the only person who knew all the bad things he had done but still believe there’s good in him, the only man who gave him a second chance to redeem himself.

John can feel the vibration of his phone that he kept in the pocket of his jacket. Without checking the phone, he knew Harold was calling him, probably checking in with him.

John wanted to answer the phone very bad, to tell Harold everything was fine, he had taken care of everything, the numbers were safe.

John would love to listen to Harold’s voice, the politeness of his speech always make him feel calm, even safe.

Yes, John feels safe. The voice he’s been listening to recently had become the most important thing in his life. Like an anchor, Harold’s voice prevents John lost into the darkness of humanity, his own darkness.

They could never know about Harold! John silently reminded himself.

“Time to come home, John. Slate's been wiped clean.”

One corner of John’s mouth lift, “You know that'll never happen.” He knew enough that the agency would never allow it to happen.

The next second, a shot had been fired, and John got hit in the abdomen. This, this was how the agency would do, like always.

They ordered John to kill Kara, and now they had Snow to kill him. The past indeed caught up with him, and this time, it was Detective Carter who leads them to him.

John held up his gun and fired but he lost his balance due to the wound in his abdomen, which was bleeding now. He knew he could never hit anyone with his current condition but all he needed was a distraction to draw their attention.

Seeing everyone hid for cover, John took the chance and started running toward the staircase. He can feel the blood bleeding out through his hand, which he tried to apply pressure on it, to stop it from bleeding but it didn’t work very well.

One step, two step, John gripped on the handrail to support himself from falling on the staircase. He didn’t know where to go but he knew he had to get out from here, from Snow, from the bureau.

The phone in his pocket vibrated. Knowing who was the called made John smiled, and he tapped the earpiece and answered, “Hey, Harold.”

“John, I’ve been trying to call you.” At the same moment, a voice full of concern and worried quickly followed after.

A warm feeling started to bloom in John’s heart, and he continued, “I’ve been busy.” Despite the pain that the wound on his abdomen causing, John used his light teasing tone, hoping it will lighten the mood, to ease Harold of his worry.

“Where are you?”

Through the earpiece, John could hear that Harold’s voice was shaking.

“In the parking structure.” John’s vision started to blur out, his steps were getting slower and unstable. “It’s not looking good,” John added.

“Carter sold you out. They got to her.”

John was confused for a second because he had never heard Harold used this tone before. “Yeah, they're clever like that.” Maybe it’s just the wound, John thought.

“Wanted to say thank you,” Thank you for being the only light that guided him out of the hopeless abyss, “Harold. For giving me a second chance.” A chance that he thought he could never have, a chance to being able to save people again, a chance to stay by your side.

“It's not over, John.”

Was Harold crying? No, it must be the blood loss, John thought while shaking his head, trying to focus.

“I'm close. Just get to the ground floor.”

Without any hesitation, John screamed out but it came out like nothing but a little gasp, “No.”  
No, John repeated it in his mind, Harold could never be near around Snow, “You stay away. Don't even risk it.” Don’t risk it, he wasn't worth it.

John knew someday, sooner or later, he would wind up dead. He will die alone, in some building’s back alley, covered in blood, which much looked like his current situation.

But Harold was on his way, to save him, he said. So John had to keep moving, one step, two step, he needed to move fast, he needed to leave this damn parking structure, so Harold would never be near here, near Snow.

John needed to keep Harold safe, he couldn’t afford to lose anyone anymore, not someone so important, someone who meant everything to him, not Harold.

The last step, John looked up at the black heavy metal door. He limped over to the exit, with all the strength left, he opened the door.

The noise of the break reverberates in the packed parking lots, and John saw the familiar car, in the driver seat was Harold.

Harold, he came. He shouldn’t have, but he came. Harold came for him, to save him, again.

Even though John hoped Harold would listen to him and stay away, but he couldn’t help but felt the warm feeling that bloomed in his heart.

Harold, Harold…

All John could think was Harold’s name, that he was here, for him.

One step, Harold, two step, closer and closer, John’s steps were unstable but he knew where he was heading now. To Harold, who came to save him.

John’s vision getting blur, his legs were going numb. Just when he thought he’s going to fall down, a familiar grip held him up.

It’s Harold. John drew a breath, the familiar scent of Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Cologne calm his nerves. It’s Harold. It’s really him.

John felt Harold’s wrapped under his armpit, supporting him.

Harold was trying to help him, they need to get out from here fast, Snow could be down here in any minutes. John, focus!

With Harold’s support, John started to move his legs again, walking towards Harold’s car.

Right before Harold could open the door, the black metal door behind them was being opened.

“Hold it!”

They both turned around and saw Detective Carter holding a gun, aiming them. “You?”

That’s it, everything ends here.

But Harold didn’t deserve any of this. John tried to focus his vision on Detective Carter but his conscious started to fade away. No, he needed to protect Harold… to protect…

“Get him out of here. Come on.” All of sudden, John felt himself being put inside the car. He tried to open his eyes, but all he could do was stare into some shadow.

Slowly, John lost his conscious.

“Go.”

With that, the car sped away from the parking structure.


	3. The Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S1E23 from John's POV
> 
> erm... i like to imagine things while watching shows...  
> like What does the character actually thinking now, what are they feeling now, etc etc...  
> so basically i just add in some lines in between what actually happened in the show...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story starts with car chasing scene.  
> Hope you enjoy!

“Trust is complicated, Lionel. ”

Yes, indeed. John thought he would never trust anyone anymore. Years ago, he learned that everyone could betray him in any minutes, any seconds. Like Kara, he trusted her, but she believed in the craps that Snow told her and tried to kill him, without confirming it with him.

“As your partner, it was my mess to clean up.” John could still remember Kara said that right after she shot him.

But things had been different now, very different. Even though John believed that Harold wasn’t telling him everything, but John trusted Harold. He believed in Harold to have his back, just like John had Harold’s.

It’s Harold who taught him how to trust again.

The image of Harold drinking his favourite Sencha Green popped up in John’s mind and the familiar warm feeling started to bloom in his heart.

John couldn’t believe himself saying this, however, it’s the truth. John trusted Carter, even Lionel.

“For example, I'm sitting in a police car with one cop who tried to murder me,” John looked at Lionel, smiling, and continue his sentence while turning his head to look at Carter who was busy driving the car, “and another who spent six months trying to lock me up.”

Under the broad daylight, driving with the siren on was very exciting.

“So you'll forgive me if I take things one step at a time.”

Both Carter and Lionel looked at each other, trying to process the hard facts.

“Slow down, Carter.” John took out the controller from his jacket and said calmly.

“Slow down? They know they're going down for life. They'll kill anybody in their way.” Carter couldn’t help herself, she turned her head around and stared at John, hoping he was just being funny.

“I got this. Trust me.”

John holding up the controller and looked into Carter’s eyes.

Turning her head around to face the road again, Carter sign. Hope she’s right about this, trusting the man she’s been chasing for over six months. Damn it!

The car started to slow down while John was checking the distance between the cars through the rear-view mirror.

When the car behind them was close enough, John pressed the button.

“Boom!!” The car tailing them exploded.

The two detectives sitting in the front seats turned around, staring at the crashed car, which was now covered in flames. Disbelief, relief, confused, they were both filled with mixed feelings, couldn’t form any words.

“Well, we should all grab a drink together sometime.” Enjoying the reaction of the two detectives, John straightened his jacket and continued, “My treat.”  
Before the detectives could answer him, John opened the door and left.

 

After walking for 5 minutes, John was sure that no one was following him. He dialled the familiar phone number without even looking at the phone screen.

Listening to the dial tone which turned into voice mail, John started to worry.

Why was Harold not picking up his phone call? He was supposed to be at the safe house with Turing now.

Remembering Harold said that he would come back for John after taking Turing to a safe place, John started running back to the seaport.

Did Agent Donnelly found out about the old service tunnel? Did the FBI have Harold because he was right there, waiting for John?

No! Harold was just a civilian to them, there’s nothing to be worried about.

John trying to calm himself down and think, but he couldn’t. How could he be calm while Harold may be in danger?

John kept redialling the numbers, but no one picked up.

When John tried to redial the number once more, the phone vibrated, notifying him there’s an incoming phone call.

After checking the contact number, John tapped on his earpiece.

“You were set up, John. Turing isn't who we think she is.”

“What do you mean?” John tried to process the information but failed. What does Zoe mean by that?

“Her office, her life, it's all a mirage. I saw the escrow transfer. She was the one who paid HR. She put the hit on herself. Turing must have learned how you operate. That you'd show up if her life was in danger. She was trying to lure you out into the open.”

The pieces started to form, and John knew. “She wasn't looking for me.”

Damn it! “She was looking for him.”

John hung up the phone and started running.

How could this happened?!

・・・

At the seaport

From far away, John saw a body lying on the ground, lifeless.

John froze, mind gone blank, his heart rate increased.

Will that be… It couldn’t be…

“…Harold.” John whispered. He needed to make sure, he had to make sure.

By moving closer to the body, John’s eyes trying to search for some clues. When he finally saw the heals the body’s wearing, he felt relief.

It’s not Harold.

John couldn’t imagine what he would do if…

No, Harold is still alive. He has to be alive! And now, he has to focus, looking for clues, analysing every possible hint that Turing might left.

He has to remain calm and focus. He has to save Harold.

John stopped right next to the body. Without touching it, John examined the wound. It’s shot from behind. There’s no sign of struggle or fight. The shooter must have fired the weapon before the victim could react.

John moved, tried to look at the victim’s face.

Alicia Corwin! Why was she here?

John stood up, started to survey the surrounding.

No one was around, but there would be soon. He needed to get out from here, before the people in blue shown up.

One last check, John was sure that Harold didn’t leave him any clues. Why was that? He couldn’t figure out why, but there’s no point in lingering around, so John decided to head back to the library, hoping Harold had left him something to able to track him.

Library, the last and only sanctuary.

・・・ 

The Library.

John picked up the lock and examined the library. The security system was disabled.  
Someone was here. Alicia Corwin?

Leaving the lock on the floor, John slowly moving closer to Harold’s desk.

The loading computer was showing the Login display. The files on the table were messy. This had to be the intruder, Harold would never leave the place in such a mess.

Harold…the man who always kept his station clean and tidy. Whenever John bought doughnuts, Harold would always use the napkin to wrap around the doughnut and be very careful while eating it. Harold always keeps some wet tissue around the library, to keep the place clean.

John started to walk around, hoping to find something useful. But the place was clean, except for the messiness that intruder left.

The lists were at their usual place, nothing had been taken.

John tried to look for some clues or something that could link to Harold, but he couldn't find any. Everything over here was just some things that anyone could buy at some random store. These things didn't mean anything special to Harold, he didn't leave anything personal here.

I'm a very private person, Mr Reese.

John remembered Harold's expression when he told him that. Harold was very serious, even solemn.

How could someone who used to live a luxury life able to cover his track so perfectly?  
Even though Harold said the library was his sanctuary, yet he didn't leave any personal items which could lead back to him.

The only thing that could possibly lead back to Harold was the computers, but he made sure it was impossible to hack into.

John was lost. He thought he had Harold's back, but Harold didn't trust John enough to entrust his life to him.

Harold…

Looking around again, John tightened his grip.

I will find you, Harold.

・・・

On the street.

Walking among the busy crowd, John stopped in the middle of the street. People around him stared at him in confusion, but they knew enough to not to bother someone who was as masculine as John, especially when looked madly furious right now.

Ignoring the angry stare, John looked up right into the surveillance camera set on the street lamp.

Even though Harold explained to him about the Machine, some part of his mind still think it's just something made up. He had seen Harold using his computer skill to get them out of all sort of crisis, and he admitted that Harold was indeed very good with technology. But building something that could understand human being and predicts their following actions, that just sound like a plot of Sci-fi novel.

But what choice did John have? None, there were no clues left for him to follow up. He was stuck.

Even though some part of him doubted that this would work, but this was the last resort he had.

He needed to get Harold back.

“He's in danger now, because he was working for you. So you're gonna help me get him back.”


	4. The Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S1E23 Harold's POV

Harold stopped the car right in front of the exit of the old service tunnel. He took out his phone and dialled, “Mr Reese, I'm in position.”

Through the earpiece, Harold listened to John calmly instructed Ms Turing, “This comes out to a water-treatment plant by the river. Keep going till you find my friend.”

Harold knew John was a very capable man, and he had seen all John’s past records, he believed John could take care of himself, but Harold just feel uneasy and worried.

Times like these always made Harold to think. Was it fair to send John into the field, to face all those violence all by himself, while Harold keeping himself safe in the library? John had been protecting people for most of his life, and even after he lost Jessica, who was the most important person to John, he still chooses to help Harold to save the numbers.

Even though Harold was the one who convinced John that he needed a purpose, a job, but what John deserved was a better life, a life without violence and blood.

Harold knew it wasn't fair to drag someone else into the messes he had made, but Harold needed John.

“I'll hold them off. Go.”

“John, thank you.”

“Go.”

“Turing's on her way to you. I think I'm gonna be a little held up.”

There's an unknown feeling started to form when Harold overheard John weren't coming with Ms. Turing, that John was going to face them alone, again.

Harold knew John was making the right move. With the dirty cops from HR and the FBI agents searching for both of them, Ms. Turing being there would only cumber John.

Once again, Harold felt bad for not being able to help John more. All he could do now was to make sure Ms. Turing was out of HR’s reach, as far as possible.

“I'll get Ms. Turing to safety and I'll come back for you.” John, I will come back for you. Harold silently promised to himself.

“Thanks.” John replied with his usual teasing tone, a series of shooting noises in the background, and he hang up.

Harold didn’t realize he was clenching his fist while he was talking with John on the phone. He wanted to call John, listen to his voice, but Harold knew it would probably distract John. FBI along with the corrupted cops that were targeting Ms. Turing, John would need full attention.

 

Harold hated waiting in the car alone. To be honest, he wasn’t really used to this, being in the field, involved with saving the numbers in actions. Since John became his partner, he started to get more involved with their job. It meant not only being the tech support that hides in the safe heaven, but sometimes he would put on his cover identities and get close to those who were related to the numbers, looking for the information, the threats. But nothing was worse than waiting in the car alone. Harold couldn’t contact John, so he couldn’t know the situation over there, he had no control of anything that may happened there, had no control on what may happened to John.

Harold didn’t like being out in the field, away from his station, from his computers, away from all the surveillance system that he could hack. But their number needed him now, Ms.Turing needed his help.

While Harold’s mind was still buzzing with bunches of thoughts and feelings, someone opened the door and entered the passenger seat.

“Harold Finch, I presume.”

・・・

Harold stared at the intruder, who was holding the gun and aiming right to him.

“You're a hard man to find, Harold.”

“I don't know who you…” Harold said calmly.

“Save it. We met before, remember? Nathan introduced you as his IT guy. He always had a talent for understatement.”

It’s been years, Harold surprised Alicia remembered him, since he tried very hard to avoid any contacts with the government when he started building the Machine.

"What do you want from me, Alicia?" Harold tried to look passed the gun, to focus on Alicia, but he kept failing. The gun was just inches away, and Alicia’s hand was shaking a little.

"Nothing complicated." Alicia stopped. She inhaled, trying to concentrate, then continue, “You created God and now you're gonna help me shut it down.”

Shut it down? The machine?

“Before Nathan died, before your machine killed him I could tell something was eating away at him.”

The machine killed Nathan? How could she think that the Machine killed Nathan?

Harold wanted to retort Alicia, but she looked anxious and panicky. She looked unstable.

“The ethics of what he was building. I thought he was fighting with himself over it, but he was fighting with you. He knew, didn't he? The hubris of creating something as powerful as the machine."

Alicia stopped, tears started to flood from her eyes, "I can feel it right now. Watching us. Listening to us." Her hand was shaking, "There's no hiding from it. I'm so tired of running."  
Another victim, who was forced to live a different life because of what he created. But that wasn't Harold's fault. "I've made some mistakes. But building the machine is not one of them."

Indeed, the Machine he had built has prevented countless terror attacks, saved countless of life. The Machine wasn't the one to be blamed on, "You haven't been running from the machine, Alicia. And the Machine didn't kill Nathan. You've been running from people. From people that you and I both trusted."

Harold was naive, believed that he could change the world by building the Machine, believed that the Machine could protect everyone, to prevent tragedy from happening. He believed that the government could protect the people, would do anything to protect everyone.

But Harold was wrong, He should never had believed in people as corrupted as the government.

That’s the only mistake he had made, and it cost him his best friend, his fiancé, his life.

“You're right. And you're lucky I found you first. Do you have any idea what the wrong person would do to you if they knew you had access? What kind of chaos that could create?”

“Define "wrong person.” Harold couldn’t believe what he had heard, "You were willing to pay corrupt officers to target an innocent woman to draw me out."

Innocent life meant nothing to them! How could he be so foolish after all these years!

"What are you talking about?" Confused written all on Alicia’s face.

"The machine. You know how it works." Harold stopped, trying to see through Alicia’s act, and he continued, "The irrelevant list. It would send Turing's name if you put her in danger!"

"Irrelevant list? I didn't need to lure you out. I've been following you for weeks." Alicia was confused by Harold’s words.

What does she mean she has been following him for weeks? Then who’s behind Ms. Turing’s assassination? Something’s not right…

Both of them fall into silence, staring at each other’s confusion.

And that’s when it happened. A shot had been fired, and Alicia was dead.

It happened so fast that before Harold could react, someone opened the door of the back seat, “I thought she'd never shut up.”

What just happened?

Harold turned his head around, and the familiar face smiled back at him, “So nice to finally meet you, Harold. You can call me Root.”

Root? Oh my…

“You hired HR yourself? You were willing to risk your own life to find me?”

How did she know about him? Why did she do this? Does she…

The woman who called herself Root lean in closer to Harold, holding her gun aiming at him, “I did this corporate training thing once. I was blackmailing the CEO, long story but they did this exercise called the trust fall.”

Root closed her eyes. Trust fall, Root thought to herself, she trusted that they would show up, because the man in front of her was the man who created the most perfect creature.

Root opened her eyes, and continued, “Where you close your eyes and fall and wait for someone to catch you.” She smiled, “I knew you boys wouldn't let me down.”  
“……” Harold couldn’t believe what was just happened. How can she know about the Machine? About the Irrelevant list?

“Come on, Harold. We've got so much to talk about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading <3
> 
> there's so much more i wanted to write, to express but...  
> I remembered when Harold was with other asset, like the asset before John, Harold insisted on staying at the library...  
> Just imagine Harold being in the library while listening to the shooting happening over John's side...  
> It's just terrifying...  
> that's what i tried to mention in the story....


	5. The Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S2E1 John's POV
> 
> Same as previous chapters, this story is based on S2E1 from John's POV.

“He's in danger now, because he was working for you, so you're gonna help me get him back.”

Standing in the middle of the crowded street, John was calm. He once saw Harold picked up a random ringing payphone in the middle of the street. John knew that this was how Harold get the number from the Machine, but he wasn’t sure if there’s a way to contact the Machine.

The only connection he had with the Machine was Harold, and the only real connection Harold had with the world was him.

Alias or not, John ‘Reese’ was the only person who knew more about Harold ‘Finch’ than anyone else in the world. So here John was, trying out something he wasn’t even sure whether this would work or not, waiting for something to happen.

The surveillance camera was working, the infrared light was blinking, but John wasn't sure that the Machine could actually detect him. He was just some random guy standing in the street after all.

Be patient, John silently reminded himself, as a former operative, he had been told to be patient. No matter how much he wanted to save Harold, this was his last hope. And John believed in Harold, as always.

“Ring...” 

John turned his head around and found the ringing payphone just a few steps away from where he was standing. One last glance, John walked up to the payphone and picked up the handset and listened.

“Uncertainty, Romeo, Kilo. Family, Alpha, Mike. Reflections, Juliet, Oscar.” 

John wasn’t sure what he was going to get, but this was absolutely not what he had expected. Those voices were not from the same person, it was like someone edited it all together just for those specific words.

There’s a lot of questions started to form in John’s mind but those weren’t exactly the question he was looking for. For all he knew, he had a mystery to solve.

John placed the handset back where it belonged and looked up at the surveillance camera once again, “Thank you.”

・・・

The Library.

After John had Detective Carter to work on the murder of Alicia Corwin, he returned to the Library.

The place was as quiet as a grave. There’s no one to greet John when he entered. There’s no one sitting in front of the computers and busy typing on the keyboard, searching as many information as about the number.

There’s no other person, except John.

Staring at the lists that Harold put on the wall, John started to understand how Harold must have felt.

“You need to know what it would be like to be forced to listen to someone get murdered and not be able to do anything about it.”

John remembered Harold’s voice on the phone. He sounded calm, but there’s more underneath those words. The regret, guilt, and self-blame. 

But John couldn’t afford to spend any time on those, time was ticking, and he was the only one who could find Harold.

So now that’s what he was going to do.

 

John picked up Standard Cyphers & Codes from the shelf and started to write out the words he got from the Machine.

“Uncertainty, Romeo, Kilo. Family, Alpha, Mike. Reflections, Juliet, Oscar.”

Words without any similarity, John started to decipher. He tried to break down the letters and re-arranged it. But no, it still didn’t make sense at all. 

"I gave you a job, Mr Reese. I never said it would be easy.” 

John recalling the day which Harold reveal the big secret of his operation.

Indeed, the job was never easy, but Harold was always here to support John, to help John. 

John had worked with other people when he was still in the force, but no one was as good as Harold. Even though Harold couldn’t help him out on the field much, but Harold was good at what he did. Searching for all the digital footprints available on the internet, analysing the possible threats, paying attention to the numbers and the people around them.

John was amazed at how Harold willing to give up everything in his life just to save those people, total strangers who he didn’t know at all. The sacrifice Harold made, and the reasons behind it, whenever John thought about it, there’s always aches in his heart.  
For those numbers Harold had saved, now it’s his turn to be saved.

“Come on, Finch. Help me find you.”

・・・

In front of the bar.

“You think this Mr Tao is gonna help you with the whereabouts of our four-eyed friend?”

“You almost sound concerned, Lionel,” John replied with his usual teasing tone.

“Frankly, I'm not sure I want to find out what you're like without his direction.”

“Let's hope you don't have to.” John knew enough not to reply to that statement because he wasn’t sure about that either.

For now, John’s first priority was to look for Harold. That mission alone occupied John’s whole mind and attention, he couldn’t allow himself to fail, he couldn’t even imagine what would he became if Harold wasn’t here for him anymore.

Harold needs you, gather yourself up! John silently reminded himself.

John pushed open the door and entered the pub. It was dark, but he found what he was here for right away.

The only Asian guy sitting in the booth, talking to someone who was double his size. John walked towards them, pulled out the badge he got from Detective Stills and requested, “You mind? I need a word with Leon, here.”

The guy that was talking to Leon glanced at the badge. After few seconds, he nodded and stood up, “He's all yours, Detective.”

Taking in the place of the guy who just left, John wasted no time. “I'm looking for a friend of mine.” John placed two pictures on the table and continue, “I have a source that says you might be able to help.”

John looked down to the pictures he pulled out, both the pictures were taken by him. The one on the left, John took it when Turing, no Root was on her way to her office. The other one, John took the picture when he was tailing after Harold. John had deposed the rest of his Finch Collection, included the data of those photos, just to respect and protect Harold’s privacy. But he saved himself one, which came in quite handy in the current situation.

John stared into Leon’s eyes, waiting for his reply, but the guy in front of John was still shocked at the idea of being questioned by a detective. 

“I've never seen either of them.” Leon looked confused.

“Take another look.” John pushed, “My source is never wrong.” 

It’s impossible for the Machine to be wrong, even though John had used this as one of his usual joke with Harold, but after all these time, John had come to believe in the Machine.

“I've never seen either of them before in my life, you understand?” Leon panicked at John’s hostility.

John fell into silence, trying to understand the situation. 

Is he lying? But for what purpose? Why did the Machine give him Leon’s number then if he had no idea where Root or even Harold was?

Staring at the guy in front of himself, John started to analyze the situation, and the man sitting across the table. 

“You're not lying,” John concluded after a while. “Then why the hell am I here?“ John said, questioning himself, also questioning the Machine.

“I have no idea, dude. Truly.” After Leon was sure that John believed him, Leon was panic once again. 

Seeing the men in the pub started to moved closer, John finally understood the tension in the room. “You've got to be kidding me.” John saw the man in the reflection in the mirror holding a gun, hiding it on his back, “Let me guess, you're in some kind of trouble, the life-threatening kind.”

“I can't believe it.” John murmured under his breath. “I'm the contingency, the backup.” It all made sense now. This was what Harold meant. 

How could Harold do this? John couldn’t understand how could Harold do this to himself, to abandon his life once again. This time, he made sure that he would not be found, not by John, not by the Machine. “He didn't want me to find him if anything went wrong. He just wanted me to keep rescuing people.” John calmly stared at Leon, and continue, “People like you.”

“So what is it? You pissed these guys off somehow, and they were about ready to kill you when I just happened to walk in the door?”

How could Harold do this to John? How could Harold insist on saving people when he was in danger himself?

“No, no. No, we're just-- we're just talking.” 

“No, no, no. You were right, Detective. Leon here stole a great deal of money from us, and we'd just about done talking when you walked in.” The guy pulled a chair and sat down beside Leon.

“Listen, I don't have time for this. I need to find my friend, so I'm going to take Leon here and we're going to leave.” If that’s what Harold wanted John to do, John would follow Harold’s wish, but that didn’t mean John would give up finding Harold.

“Leon stole more than enough, in fact, to make it worth us killing a cop, so maybe we can make a deal. You leave Leon here with us, and you can keep looking for your friend.” The guy smirked, confidence that John would take his offer.

John couldn’t help himself and smiled, “You know, the guy that owned this badge probably would have made that deal, but I'm not him.”

“So who are you?” The guy was confused.

“The guy who shot him and stole his badge.”

・・・

Outside of Reynold’s storage unit.

“If Harold is still out there, I don't know how to find him.” Through the phone, John heard the desperation of Detective Carter. 

The last lead, the last hope. It’s all gone now, there were no other leads on Root or even Harold. How can he find them?

While John’s mind was occupied by the bad news he got from Detective Carter, he failed to be aware of the danger around the corner. The Aryan Brotherhood members fired their weapons when they found John and Leon, not bother that it would probably cause some unwanted attention.

“John?” John hung up the phone and slide it into his jacket pocket, while his reflexes react soon after he heard the gun fired. John ran towards the building not far away, tried to stay as far as possible from the gang, while Leon followed behind.

When John was sure that he successfully get rid of the annoying followers, John stopped at the corner of the street. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Leon almost ran passed him.

Ignoring the frustrated Leon, John looked up to the surveillance camera that attached to the street light. “I'm not doing this anymore.” Enough was enough, “I'm not going anywhere until you give me a way to find him.”

Realizing John was talking nonsense again, Leon was distress, “Not this again.”

“If I'm supposed to keep saving people like this idiot, I want something in return. Otherwise, I'm done.”

John sure the Machine could detect him, hear him, that’s why the Machine gave him Leon Tao’s numbers this morning.

“Who are you talking to? These guys are going to kill us!” Leon started to scream, but John didn't care, “They probably are.”

"So what the hell is this?" Leon still tried to make sense of this whole bizarre situation.

“A negotiation,” John replied, eyes fixed on the surveillance camera. Harold must have made sure that the Machine wouldn't be affected by his absent, and continue to do what it always does.

Again, John was infuriated, for all Harold always being Harold, the man who took privacy very serious, the man who willing to sacrifice himself for the better good that he believed in, the man who still couldn't fully trust John. But John would prove that Harold was wrong, that for better or worse, the world was better with Harold in it.

“I know you've got your rules, but I'm guessing they don't account for everybody being dead. No one answering your phone calls, no one saving anyone." Indeed, no one, no one will know about this, no more irrelevant list, no more saving people, “No contingency.”

“What do you want? You want me to give up the bonds? Give all the money away? It's done. We just have to move, now!” Leon was anxious and tried to get John’s attention but failed.

“Do the math, and figure out a way to bend your rules, 'cause he's my friend.” John stopped, feeling the ache in his heart, he continued, “He saved my life. Understand? And I won't do this without him.” 

Without Harold, John would be dead long time ago. If this meant that John has to continue his life, his life without Harold, then why did he even bother to continue his life at all? 

Harold told John that he needed a purpose, a job. So far, Harold was right about that, but what Harold couldn’t anticipate was John’s purpose changed when John found out about Harold, the little secrets of his past. The only reason why John was still staying around and saving the numbers was because of Harold, because he thought that this number would lead him to Harold.

But now, John was just saving the number because the Machine detected someone was in trouble, but that said someone wasn’t Harold. If this was what John could get from the Machine, he would definitely not obey it.

John stood very still, waiting and waiting, counting the seconds that had passed, believing in the Machine for one last time. John was calm, because of no matter the outcome, John knew there’s only left one path for him to take. 

The infrared light on the camera was blinking fast, but it stopped blinking after a while. Then, the payphone right in front of John rang.

John looked at the ringing payphone, he walked toward it and pick up the handset. The familiar mechanical voice pattern was forming another set of a clue, “Ayacucho, Golf, Papa, Deterministic, Hotel, Sierra.Camera, Sierra, kilo.”

John looked up at the camera again, “Thank you.” Thank you for granting my request.

"Who was that?" Leon asked, still confused with the situation.

"Long story," John replied.

Indeed, a very long story with a fresh start and John believed it would end soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Even as a former CIA-op, I believe John was a very capable man but with Harold, there wasn't too much information that he could find, since Harold had made sure of that.  
> So this is how I think John was in the episode...
> 
> And, yes, the next chapter will be the last one for this project.  
> Hope I will see you again <3


	6. Exception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S2E2 mostly from Harold's POV?  
> added a little something at the end of the story.  
> it took me some time to work on this because i have to check for the suitable wordsssssssss.  
> Please forgive the grammar mistakes  
> and once again thank you for reading it <3

Cottage in Relton, Maryland.

"She'll come back soon. I know you're reluctant to trust me-- you don't know me--"

Seeing the man whose hands were tied up, Harold couldn't help but stopped him from continuing his speech, "Oh, I do know who you are, Mr Weeks." Harold wanted to say more, to express his anger toward the man who was responsible for everything that's happening now, but all he could say was just these words, "You tried to hack the machine."

Harold lowered his eyes, trying to block out all the negative emotion he felt for the man who was being tortured for something he had made. It's not his fault, Harold reminded himself, just like he did for this few years. It's not other people's fault, but all yours, Harold.

"I certainly tried. It was my job. I had to test its limits, see if it was safe." Weeks explained, "But in all of our crisis scenarios, we never envisioned this. That someone would get to one of us."

Of course, the government, no, the responsible department made sure that those who involved in the project was silent, permanently. Just like what they did to Nathan.

"She won't get to the machine through me," Harold replied calmly, didn't bother to elaborate further.

"But you must see that if you don't help me get free, we will lose the machine."

"What can I do?"

"The knife."

Harold wasn't sure what he should do, to help the man who was responsible for his best friend's death, or... Harold couldn't believe himself to think of otherwise. How can he let someone suffer like this? Furthermore, the said someone was in current situation all because of him, of what he had made!

Harold looked down at the knife lying still on the table right beside him, then he looked up to look at the man. "Try to push it to me." Weeks said, eagerly.

・・・

Harold was wrong, there weren't any better choices. Weeks had successfully freed himself and ambushed Root who came back from the gas station.

Being tied down to the chair, Harold couldn't stop Weeks from trying to beat Root to death. All he could do was shouting at the violent man, hoping Weeks could stop hurting Root who was now unconscious. "Stop. Stop it!"

"Don't worry, don't worry. I'm not gonna kill her. At least not until I've found out what she knows."

Once again, Harold was disappointed in himself. All he wanted to do was to save people, but it turned out that the people around him, connected to him in some way or another, always got hurt. His father, Nathan, Grace... and John.

No, no one other than Root knew about Harold’s connection with John. As long as John continued to save the numbers, the people like he always does, Harold was sure that John will be free from him, from all the mess he had made.

It's better this way, Harold thought, tried to comfort himself, John would be safe without him being around.

Looking down at the woman who kidnapped him, now lying not far away from him, unconsciously. Harold felt sorry for the woman, even though he probably shouldn't have, but it was all his fault that Weeks got the chance to hurt her.

Harold moved his head, stared right into Weeks, the man whom he entrusted the Machine to. 

"So Ingram's little IT guy. We always suspected the idiot in the tux couldn't have done it on his own."

"What do you want?"

"I want to know what you know." Weeks said, while kicking on Root to check on her condition, “She really sent me over the edge.” When he was sure that Root indeed was unconscious, Weeks gloated.

“So what's your plan, Mr Weeks?” Harold asked, still in shock of what just happened.

“Tidy this up, get some real experts to question this bitch. But since anonymity means a lot to you,” Weeks turned around and started walking toward Harold, “and because you helped me, I'm gonna let you go wherever you want. Just one more question.” Weeks stated his final question, looking serious, “Can she get to it? I need to know if it's safe. You are the one man who can tell me.”

Safe, everyone's safe, and yet no one ever was. At first, Harold thought his project was just to prevent tragedies, but he failed to predict the human nature, the greedy minds who came across of his Machine, like the man who was now standing right in front of him.

“Please.”

The government was the only choice back then, something as powerful as the Machine should never be in control of any individual, not even Harold himself. But now, Harold guess there's no point in hiding such information from Weeks, from the government.

Finally, Harold answered, “It cannot be altered remotely.”

“If anyone wanted to change anything, they'd have to have physical access to the servers?”

“That's right.”

“So if the location is hidden, the machine is safe.” Weeks came to a conclusion right after he had the answer, and Harold nodded to confirm his conclusion. “That's all I need.” Weeks sounded genuine, relief. “It's been an honour to meet you at last.” Weeks held up the gun he was holding in his right hand, aiming to Harold, who was now stunned in disbelief.

How could he be such a fool, to trust someone like Weeks, after what he had done to his best friend, to him? And this was how everything ended, him being killed by the same man who was responsible for his best friend’s death.

Harold closed his eyes and waited for his final moment. Harold had been imagining how he would die since the explosion, but it's been awhile for him to have a thought of that, not since John came and started to work for him. Doing what they did, their ending was not difficult to predict, but Harold thought that with John, Harold would probably be safe for a long time, because John was a very excellent and experienced protector, with a caring heart. Harold felt safer than ever and hoped that both of them could survive longer.

Thank you, and Goodbye, John.

Harold heard Weeks pulled the trigger but the gun didn't fire. The gun made the click noises but nothing happened. All of sudden, there's a loud scream in pain, and Harold opened his eyes wide and was shocked at the scene.

Supposedly unconscious Root was tasering Weeks, who was now fallen on the floor, “Aah! What did I say, Harold?” Root’s face was covered in blood, but she looked, “Bad code.”

Harold couldn’t believe his eyes, but the woman was now standing in front of him once again, proved that she was willing to put herself in danger, just to achieve her goal, and now that goal was to get to the Machine. "You knew I'd help him, didn't you? You let him beat you up, take your gun-- you planned the whole thing."

"That's who you gave your machine to, violent and predictable people. But you must see I'm on your side." Root walked toward Harold, she bent down and met him at the eyes.

"I'm not on any side," Harold replied coldly.

“You know what I mean.” Root smiled at him, and continued, “I am the best friend, the best support, the best partner you will ever have. And definitely the most fun.”

“No.” Harold looked at her. Another victim of the Machine, Harold thought bitterly. But it’s not the Machine’s fault, “You're worse than Weeks. You're worse than all of them.” Harold stared straight into Root’s eyes, and continued, “I'd rather die than give you the machine, so please kill me now.  
At least I won't have to listen to you anymore.”

Harold had been hiding since the death of his best friend, living under various aliases and life, but he couldn’t let go of the irrelevant lists, the lists that Nathan was believed in saving, and was tried to save. Harold should have help Nathan in saving those people, yet he was so full of himself that he thought the irrelevant list was the necessary sacrifice for the bigger plan.

But he was wrong, so wrong that he lost everything, the people he loved, the life he had.

Then, Harold met John, the man he came to trust entirely, even now. He believed John would continue their job of saving the numbers, the people because John was a good man, a better man than Harold was. To be honest, Harold was relieved that Root’s target was him, and not John. As long as John knew nothing about the Machine, Harold was sure that John would be safe from the government, from Root.

If this was where Harold breath his last breath, he would go in peace, knowing that John was still out there, saving the numbers, carry on with his purpose, Harold’s purpose.

“You're tired and I'm bloody.” Root was shocked. No one had ever asked her to kill them, most of the people just begged her for letting them go. She was sure that the man who created such elegant intelligence should be different, but this wasn’t something she expected. Instead of replying him, Root decided to leave, “I'm gonna go clean up.”

Harold’s eyes followed Root until she was gone. Harold sighed. He just wished that this would end soon. Harold remembered he once said to John that ‘both of them would wind up dead, sooner or later’, it seemed like his time was up.

・・・

"Sorry, I took so long." Root reappeared after she had finished cleaning herself up, "A mild sedative," Root showed Harold the syringe she was holding in her hand, explaining, "I apologize, but I need you to be a little more," her sentence trailed off, while injecting the substance in the syringe into Harold's system, "amenable."

After the injection, Root turned around and walked toward Weeks but the phone on the table rang, informing an incoming text message, "Well, well, it seems I underestimated your knuckle-dragging friend. How he got there I do not know." Root sounded surprised, "Did the machine help him, do you think?" She casually asked Harold. 

Does she mean John? Has John been looking for him? 

Harold was both confused and worried. Harold had never thought that John would look for him. 

John...

"Something for us to discuss on our journey." Root mumbled to herself, knowing that Harold would not answer her, "I hope you like trains." Root pushed the wheelchair she found in the cottage towards Harold, and moved Harold to sit inside it, "Come on, Harold."

Root made sure that Harold was settled in the wheelchair, she walked toward Weeks, who was now being tied up, both hands above his head, "One more question, and then I'll leave you alone. Where's the machine?"

The sedative that Root injected started to work and Harold felt weak. He saw that Roots back was facing him, totally focusing on Weeks, This time, it is loaded. Now, where did you move the machine?

Harold dropped his watch which he removed when Root was moving him, on the floor, and he saw the phone.

John…I have to inform…

Harold reached out to the phone and started pressing the numbers.

4...4...4...2...2...1…

“Bang! Bang!” Harold was started by the gunshot, and he knew Weeks was dead. 

Another had been taken down, all because of him... 

Root walked toward Harold and saw the phone, "Harold did you think I'd forget to disconnect the phones?"

Harold didn't answer her, hoping she didn't realize what he did.

"Off we go." Root pushed the wheelchair towards the door, while Harold looking back at the phone.

John…

・・・

“How did he find us?” Root sounded annoyed, started to push Harold toward the pillar, hiding Harold from the spying eyes around.

“Because you're wrong. He proves you're wrong. Not all humans are bad code.” For all the people he had known for his whole life, John was definitely not it. 

“You helped him. I told you what would happen if you tried to get away.” Root threatened, waving her hand to get the attention of the station staff. “Excuse me, sir.”

 

Harold moved the wheelchair, hoping John could see him. 

John!

Their eyes met. Harold moved his head, showing Root's position, and John followed his movement and saw Root. At the same moment, Root turned her head and she saw John. Knowing that she didn't have much time left, she held up her gun that she had been hiding it in her purse, and she fired. 

Seeing Root's movement, Harold knew that she was going to fire her weapon. He couldn't live with the thought that more innocent people will be hurt because of him, so he pushed himself out of the wheelchair and threw himself over Root.

"Help! Shooters!” The people in the station started to panic, screaming and running for their life.

Observing the surrounding, Root decided to leave, leaving Harold lying on the ground.

“Hey! Don't move. Don't move.” With the familiar voices, Harold grabbed on the firm hands that were holding him up.

“Am I hit?” Harold wasn’t sure what happened, and he didn’t feel well, so he asked.

“I don't think so.” John replied with his usual teasing tone, “Sorry, it took so long.”

Harold’s ears were still tingling from the gunfire, but John’s voice was very clear to him.

To support Harold, John’s hand was on Harold’s waist. Seeing the man standing right beside him, Harold felt safe, a feeling that he thought he would never have again.

“I really didn't intend for you to come and find me, Mr Reese.” Harold glanced at John, trying to see his face but the drug was still affecting his vision. “There are other people that need your help.”

Bad code. Harold remembered Root’s words. What a brilliant choice of words and Root was right, humanity was just a bunch of bad codes, even himself. 

Harold tightened his grip on John’s hand.

But John wasn’t a bad code, he never was, and never will be. The man who served his country, even after the betrayal of the government, even after he lost the person he loved most in the world, he still willing to keep fighting, to protect the people. To protect him.

“Well, you saved my life once or twice, Harold.” Harold’s heart skipped a beat when he heard his name being said out loud by John, “Seemed only fair I return the favour.” Harold looked up again and he was caught into the sky blue eyes.

Harold remembered when he first got Jessica’s number from the machine, and the day he met John at the hospital where Jessica worked at. The same blue eyes of John were clouded with dark despair, grief, anger. But now the eyes were so clear and bright.

John was never a bad code, and he never will be.

・・・

After a long drive, they were back in New York. Despite John’s offer, Harold insisted on staying at the hotel, instead of going to John’s loft.

“You bought the place, Finch,” John sounded defeated after the 10th times Harold had declined his kind suggestion.

“And it's a present for you, Mr Reese.” Harold replied while massaging his feet, “I will be perfectly fine by myself.”

John always knows that Harold was a very private person, but what had happened in these past 36 hours, he thought it wouldn’t be safe for Harold to be alone. Furthermore, John wanted to stay close to Harold, just to keep an eye on him, to keep him safe.

Once again, both of them fall into silence. John sitting in the driver seat, trying to make up some strong statement to pursue Harold, but nothing came out of his mouth.

For someone who had been thinking about Harold, trying to look for Harold for the past 36 hours, John’s mind was in total blank. John wanted to do something or say something, but he didn’t know what he wanted to do or say. He wanted to be close with Harold, but it seemed like Harold didn’t want that. 

“I’m fine...” Harold turned his upper body slightly to the right, and looked John in the eyes, “John.” He whispered, but his voice was calm and determined.

Hearing Harold called his name, John's heart was filled with some unrecognizable feeling. It felt a little of warm, a little of nervous, a little of delightful, and something more. After a long silence, John murmured, decided to leave Harold alone, for now. “...Fine.”

“Thank you.” Harold sounded relief, and continued with a lighter tone, “So, shall we call it a day, then.” Harold opened the door and got off from the car. "Good night."

“Good night, Harold,” John called out right before Harold closed the door behind him. Through the car window, Harold slightly waved his hand, then he turned his back and headed into the hotel.

John remain seated in the car, watching Harold limping into the hotel entrance and sighed. It seemed like he would most likely spending his night spying on his employer again. There's no way he would leave Harold to be alone, definitely not after what just happened to Harold. But before that, he needed some equipment.

Stepping on the accelerator, the car sped up, headed to its next destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this *hug  
> This is my official first English fanfic.  
> even though 95% of it is from the original show, so.... yeah
> 
> The reason why I want to write this is because...  
> I missed them so much...  
> and these are my favourite episodes...  
> I tried to express how the characters felt towards each other,  
> hope that you can understand what I was trying to say. 
> 
> Will probably continue writing for some other episodes too...  
> so hope to see you next time! *wave


End file.
